Guest Post: Wendy Higgins (Sweet Evil)

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? 

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Today I have a guest post from author Wendy Higgins discussing her in depth venture into creating her main characters for her new Trilogy!

In the seven weeks it took me to write the first draft of Sweet Evil, I was completely lost to my two main characters, Anna and Kaidan. They took over my mind. Every song that came on the radio, I heard through their ears. Every person who walked by, I saw through their eyes. And in case you’re wondering, Kai likes to listen to his music loud. Very loud. And he can pretty much find something attractive about any person, while Anna tends to concentrate on their emotional states. Needless to say, it was hard to concentrate on real life. My house was a wreck and I barely slept. I even lost weight. But it was awesome--like a seven week adrenaline rush.

I’ve wished I could feel that way again, but unfortunately that kind of insane inspiration has not returned to me for subsequent writings, at least not at that level of intensity. I think that time was necessary in order for me to really get to know my characters. Both of them are about as opposite as they come. Anna is easier for me because I had many of the same traits as her when I was sixteen. I understand her sensitive thoughts and her naïve reactions. But Kai is a different story.

Kaidan Rowe keeps his deepest thoughts and desires to himself. His complexity was, and is, difficult to write. On the surface he needs to come across as tough, confident, sometimes crass, and always sexy. But underneath all that is something else…something we only get through hints and glimpses. And choosing when he’d reveal things, and how much he’d show, was a challenge. Kai causes me no end of tweaks and revisions. Though he never verbalizes his feelings, I hope readers will have a true sense of him by the end of Sweet Evil. I hope people will be able to see the person he is and the person he wishes to be. The deepest desires of these two characters, after all, is the heart of the story. I hope you’ll let them take over your mind and feel them as strongly as I do. They will take you on quite a ride.  :)

What made you decide to write a Young Adult book?

I was a high school teacher and I love working with teens - my own teen years stand out so clearly in my mind. I went through a lot, and I like to explore those “coming of age” dynamics.

What is one YA novel you wish you had written? 

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is brilliant and heart-wrenching.

What makes your book different to the other YA novels in the same genre?

You mean those millions of angel books out right now? Lol J I guess maybe the fact that I didn’t shy away from “traditional” Biblical angels and demons. God and Lucifer are not characters, but they are spoken of. Lucifer is kind of like a mob boss for all of the Dukes on earth who do his bidding.

Who would play your hero and heroine in the TV or film version of your book?

I’m not sure about Anna - someone sweet and innocent looking with long blonde hair. As for Kaidan, I always think about Ben Barnes with the longish hair. He’s got the accent, but he’d need blue eyes.

Do you wish your book had gone in the 'traditional' way, or is it just pure awesome coming out of Inkpop? Does it feel different?

I think it does feel a little different. I wonder sometimes if some people will take me seriously as an author, but I can’t worry about that, and it keeps me humble. What happened with Inkpop was a dream-come-true. I would not change it. The funny thing is, my agent at the time had been subbing my book to publishers. The Inkpop-related offer from HarperTeen came the same week as another publisher offered via my agent’s efforts. Ultimately my heart was with Harper and Inkpop.

Is there something you can tell us about Kaidan Rowe (the male love interest! SWOON)

I don’t want to give away too much…Kai was fun to write because I was able to combine all of my favorite traits - English accent, drummer in a rock band, sexy like it’s his job (wink, wink - inside joke for when you read it). He’s hardened. Never loved or been loved. He’s a tortured soul. You may or may not like him, but I think it would be difficult to feel indifferent toward him.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?

Being my first novel, I think some of my physical traits rubbed off on Anna since I fell into that “write what you know” thing (blonde, short, er…flat-chested). But one physical trait we do not share is the legs - mine have never been like sticks, haha. Like Anna, I was naïve and innocent as a teen, but I did not have Anna’s will-power. She’s way stronger than me!

Is there any significant or deep meaning about the title/cover of Sweet Evil?

The title Sweet Evil is a fun and significant, oxymoron. Really, Anna is an oxymoron herself - a walking contradiction because of her parentage. But every person has that opposing force thing inside of them; that capability of being both “good” and “evil.” The cover of Sweet Evil shows those opposing elements of light and dark. I think it captures the mystery and dichotomy found in the story.

And finally, can you tell us anything about the sequels?

The sequel is tentatively called Sweet Hope. It’s under consideration with the publishers at the moment, but I’m not counting my chicks before they hatch. It’s meant to be a trilogy. I’ve begun outlining book three, and I hope to start it soon. I can’t give too many deets, but I will say that Anna does some growing up between books one and two. She’s still sweet, but she’s no longer helpless on her own.

Thank so much again Wendy for stopping by, and if any of you followers out there haven't had the chance to pick up her new release, Sweet Evil, run out and get yourself a copy now!  Your don't want to miss out on this great new read!!

ARC Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Yet another series opener that has pulled me in and left me no hope of getting away. Higgins created a very unique and interested set up throughout this entire debut and I really think fans or this type of novel are going to fall in love with everything she included. You're got the good guys and the bad guys, but the lines are not so clear, and it's not really all black and white, but more muddled with gray areas than I was used to. I loved not knowing who was going to do something and win me over with each turn of the page. Or have me reacting the opposite and wanting nothing more than for certain characters to get what's coming to them after creating so many obstacles for my favorite lead characters.

It was crazy how much Higgins managed to pack into this debut, and she did this without it being too much, if that makes sense. She has the ability to take readers on an adventure right alongside her characters, and while I felt overwhelmed for the leads, like Anna and Kaidan and all that they were dealing with, I still wanted to learn more. So many times I read books that include way to much detail, to the point where all I can do is focus on the amount of text that could have been left out completely. This was not the case in Sweet Evil. Higgins includes a lot but readers will want more, and they won't be satisfied until their demands are met.

While I love receiving ARCs, there are a few drawbacks. The biggest in my opinion is that while you get the opportunity to check out the read before it hits the shelves, at the same time you are then left waiting even longer for the second installment to be released. Higgins has me hooked, and she did it before I even made it half way through her book. I can't wait to see how other readers are going to react to this debut! I can only imagine the positive feedback she'll be receiving. While they haven't yet scheduled a second release for this series, Higgins has said on her site that she pictures it as a trilogy and I am crossing my fingers that her vision becomes a reality!

I gave Sweet Evil 4 shamrocks!!!!

Happy Weekend!!! It's Time to Pack A Bag!

Happy Weekend everyone! I'm not sure what you're typical routine is on a weekend, but for me it's usually filled up with fun plans, and time spent with my friends and family. While I'm still going to try and squeeze in some quality time with my family (we've got a quick road trip planned to visit my aunt for the day on Sunday) I've got to get myself organized this weekend. I leave for Charleston, SC next Friday and I've got to start packing. My work weeks are usually crazy busy, and by the time I drag myself home after work, I'm not good for much besides a quick trip to the gym (if I can motivate myself to get there) and some vegging out on the couch while watching some TV.

But I'm determined to change things up this weekend. I've got laundry to do and a closet to go through in order to find some items I can pull together for Charleston. The weather there is significantly warmer at the moment than it is at home, so I might get the chance to bring out some of my favorite summer staples if I'm lucky. But also on my list of things to pack is a good book of course! I'll be flying to South Carolina, and what better time to catch up on some good reading right? I'm not a huge fan of flying so it's a great way for me to take my mind of things.

Here are few books I'm considering taking along with me to busy myself with on the flight to and from Charleston to see some of my fave girlies!

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (05/01/2012)

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

This one somehow fell to the wayside of books I've been meaning to read and review. Harper Teen was kind enough to send me an advanced copy and I think these flights might be the perfect opportunity for me to catch up and dive right in so that I can get a review up by it's release date.

Elemental by Emily White (05/01/2012)

Just because Ella can burn someone to the ground with her mind doesn't mean she should.

But she wants to.

For ten years—ever since she was a small child—Ella has been held prisoner. Now that she has escaped, she needs answers.

Who is she? Why was she taken? And who is the boy with the beautiful green eyes who haunts her memories?

Is Ella the prophesied Destructor… or will she be the one who's destroyed?

Yet again, super grateful to Spencer Hill Press for sending me an advanced copy, and it's one I've been anxious to read. I've been trying my best to fly through the books I've got on my shelves waiting to be read, but this one has piqued my interest since I first got wind of it. So it's another I'm considering taking with me.

What do you guys think? Both books sound great, and with both of them scheduled to hit the shelves on the first of May, I'm doing my best to get them taken care of before then or at least very shortly after, but which to read first? I'll have to debate some more and see what I come up with. Either way they're both getting read, and I just know they'll both be fabulous...but which to take with me to SC....I'll let ya know what I decide.

Have a fabulous weekend you guys and as always...Happy Reading!!!

In My Mailbox (40)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week?

For Review:

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Thanks to Harper Teen)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Forbidden by Syries James & Ryan M. James (Thanks to Harper Teen)

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she's desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there's no way she's going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she's been having or the creepy warnings that she's in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch, and when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn't factored Claire into his plans... Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alex has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire's unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath, #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown (Thanks Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Clader and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough - especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily - just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire (Thanks to Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutters gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father - and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billioniare - if usually absent - father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating...and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.

Rivals (The Ivy, #3) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Thanks to Greenwillow Books)

Decisions, decisions...

You've survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the sate of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don't succeed, you should probably stop trying,) friendships (C-minus, since she and formed BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don't even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threathen to thwart Callie's resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for -

Grace Lee
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side - and a suitor - has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

Countdown: A Mix (2)

Like I've said before, sometimes the books that I've found and decided to add to my TBR list don't always end up nice and neat and organized into specific genres when it comes to my countdown posts. So forgive me for these occasional countdown mixtures. But honestly, sometimes it's more fun to be able to post about a little bit of this and a little bit of that, rather than always having it so structured. It also means that you guys get stuck with more posts from me instead of me holding out and waiting to be able to add a full countdown for one specific genre.

Countdown Pick #1: Flame of Surrender (The Ferryman and the Flame, #1) by Rhiannon Paille (11/1/2011)

The boy who follows death meets the girl who could cause the apocalypse.
Krishani thinks he’s doomed until he meets Kaliel, the one girl on the island of Avristar who isn’t afraid of him. She’s unlike the other girls, she swims with merfolk, talks to trees and blooms flowers with her touch. What he doesn’t know is that she’s a flame, one of nine individually hand crafted weapons, hidden in the body of a seemingly harmless girl.
Nobody has fallen in love with a flame until now. She becomes Krishani’s refuge from the dreams of death and the weather abilities he can’t control. Striking down thousand year old trees with lightning isn’t something he tries to do, it just happens. When the Ferryman dies, Krishani knows that he’s the next and that a lifetime of following death is his destiny.

And Kaliel can’t come with him. The Valtanyana are hunting the flames, the safest place for her is Avristar. Krishani can’t bear to leave her, and one innocent mistake grants the Valtanyana access to their mystical island. They’re coming for Kaliel, and they won’t stop until every last living creature on Avristar is dead. She has to choose, hide, face them, or awaken the flame and potentially destroy herself.

This one sounds like it's right up my alley. Fantasy to the nth degree. Mermaids, mystical powers, magic and the whole nine yards. The main characters sound intriguing and with a romance brewing it's just another element that has me thinking this could be a potential favorite. While this isn't Paille's first book, it does sound like it's her first go at young adult fiction and I'm eager to see what she's got.


Countdown Pick #2: Moonrise (Low Red Moon, #2) by Ivy Devlin (1/31/2012)

Avery and Ben are just beginning to explore the depth of the bond that links them. Their ability to sense each others' feelings and Avery's mysterious connection to the forest mean that their love is unlike any other. But even such a perfect bond can be strained by jealousy, and when Hope, a gorgeous girl from Ben's old life, arrives in town, Avery can't help but feel threatened. And in more ways than one-because someone is trying to kill her, again.


Also new in town are a pair of Hunters-men who know about werewolves and who seek only to destroy what they can't understand. Hope is connected to the Hunters somehow, but by the time Avery figures out her secret, it's too late-and someone will pay with their life. With the glowing, emotional language that made Low Red Moon such an irresistible read, Moonrise ups the romantic stakes with a heart-tugging sacrifice that testifies to the power of love.


It feels like it's been a very long time since the series opener, Low Red Moon made it's debut and earned a spot on my bookshelf. Devlin caught my interest and wove a story together with two characters that were hard not to like. In this second installment Avery and Ben will not be able to simply enjoy each other's company. While it would I'm sure be sweet, it would not make for a very exciting sequel. So instead it sounds like Devlin's throwing all sorts of problems their way, including a girl from Ben's past. I'm already predicting I won't be a fan of Hope. Should I start making Team Avery t-shirts?

Countdown Pick #3: Destiny and Deception (13 To Life, #4) by Shannon Delany (1/31/2012)

The sensational fourth novel in the 13 to Life series sees Jessica and the Rusakuvas fighting to overcome one of their biggest challenges yet--the possibility of a cure for lycanthropy.

With the threat of the mafia seemingly gone and the company's headquarters in Junction destroyed, Pietr Rusakova is adjusting to being a normal teen and Jess is realizing normalcy may not be what she wanted after all. But both Jess and Cat know the truth--that normal can't be taken for granted. Their precious cure isn't permanent--and when a new danger stalks into their small town, Alexi decides he must overcome his issues with the mother who abandoned him to be raised by wolves and make a brand new deal to save his adopted family.

While I've got a lot of catching up to do with this series (I've still got to read books two and three before I can start this installment) I'm making sure to continue to add each and every installment of Delany's 13 To Life series to my TBR list. The series opener had me glued to the pages and I found myself really enjoying Delany's style of writing. Her pace and technique, and overall plot were just right in my opinion. So while I still have a lot of other books that I'm also trying to catch up on, I'll admit that Jessie and the Rusakuva family have been missed. I'm hoping that I can squeeze in at least one or two of the books I've let fall to the wayside in this series, because I'm sure before I know it book five will be out and I'll just feel further behind and further away from ever actually getting caught up with this series.

Countdown Pick #4: Forbidden by Syrie James and Ryan M. James (1/24/2012)

Syrie joined forces with her talented son Ryan to co-write her next novel, Forbidden. The book is about a 16-year-old girl who comes into unusual powers, only to discover that she's half-angel... and her entire existence is forbidden.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson Academy as the ideal hiding place where he could escape and be normal for once. He hadn't factored Claire Brennan into his plans...

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the threat to Claire's life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Syrie James came out of the woodwork for me when she requested I read and review her novel, Nocturne. I had never heard of her or her writing before and after getting the chance to read Nocturne I made sure to correct my mistake. I found an author that was not afraid to write a realistic version of fiction and fantasy if that makes any sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is that a lot of authors who write fiction tend to make sure their endings are all tied up and nice and neat when the final page is turned. Happy endings and all that.

And while a lot of the time I prefer my characters to reach their goals and get the peaceful and blissful endings that they deserve in my opinion, sometimes it's a nice change of pace to have a little bit of reality mixed in with my fiction. James has co-written this title with her son and I'm looking forward to seeing if the writing gene runs in the family. I'm crossing my fingers that the book lives up to my expectations.

Countdown Pick #5: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy, #1) by Wendy Higgins (5/1/2012)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Angels in a word is an instant pull for me. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There's just something about these types of characters that get me to crave the books that contain them. I guess it's that I know I'm almost always guaranteed a good vs. evil scenario which I can also never resist. It's nice to have a clear side of right and wrong, but it sounds like Higgins is going to blur that line a bit. We've got characters fighting their inherent natures and only one option; to give in to their "bad" sides or pay with their lives? That's the feeling that I'm getting from the small synopsis I was able to find. How can readers fight for the bad guys? But how can you not when you know that they're only trying to stay alive? Regardless, this title sounds like one I'm not going to be able to pass up.